#chapter:46

She caressed his beard and his chest with her fingertips and he stirred in his sleep.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” she said when noticed he was awake.

“Morning?” he answered and his voice made her heart skip a beat. “Have we slept for that long?”

“Just a way of saying…. It’s high noon. It will get dark soon, though.” she said.

He kissed her forehead and tightened his embrace.

“I have missed you, Carol.” he whispered.

“So have I, Harry.” she answered back without even thinking about it.

She leaned in and pecked his lips. She longed there just a little bit more and he smiled.

“I think we should get dressed and go say hi to your family. We don’t want to be the anti-social couple. Do we?” he smiled.

“I don’t care if we stay in this bed… It’s so comfortable and food is just a call away.” she pouted. “We need to have our time together.”

“I know, babe… But remember, we are here for your mum’s wedding. We can’t stay locked in the room the whole trip. Even though I have some great ideas for you and me and this room...” he wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed.

“We are sharing then?” she said sitting up on the bed.

“Absolutely!” he jokingly bit her lips. “Shower with me?”

“Harry… you just said we have to mingle….” she answered suspicious.

“Carol! What a dirty mind you got, yes… I invited you for a shower and not for a quickie.”

“I know you well enough, Wales.” she said “But if you’re not up for it… OK.”

They both laughed and made their way to the bathroom.

“Well… we are in paradise and missing each other. A quickie will do… for now.”

Carol and Harry wandered around the hotel, to get to know the facilities and to solve last minutes errands for the rehearsal dinner. She and Hailey talked to the wedding planner about seats, security and other surprises they had prepared for their parents big day.

Tonight would be their welcome night, with a tropical dinner and lots of Brazilian music.

Maria, as always thoughtful, had arranged things in a way that Harry didn’t feel misplaced. She introduced him, as her son, to the few relatives she had invited to the ceremony. Most of them did not speak English but Maria found a way to make everyone understand what he meant. Also, she made sure to have a few typical Brazilian foods for him to try and other safe options in case he didn’t like them.

Carol watched her mom bond with Harry, while catching up with her grandmother with a smile in her face. She made sure to talk with everyone, they all wanted to know how life in London was treating her and obviously how she ended up dating a prince. About their newly growing relationship Carol gave evasive answers and changed the subject. It’s not that she didn’t trust them, she did. But she didn’t feel comfortable in sharing details about their relationship yet.

She still was a great mystery to the press and she wanted it to be that way for as long as she could. It’s not like she didn’t trust her family and friends, but she didn’t know who might overheard if she gave too much details and leaked it to the press. This was going to be her life from now own, double think every single thing she was going to say and to whom. Be careful of who might overheard or if something is taken out of context.

It was way past midnight when dinner was over and just the immediate family was sitting on the sand, with drinks and snacks and a fire pit, chatting.

Harry had brought a light blanket when he saw that Carol was getting cold because of the soft wind and how close they were to the sea.

She was sitting between his legs, and he wrapped her with the blanket. And when he was not speaking or laughing at the jokes Flavio and Hailey were telling, he was giving soft kisses near her ear or on the top of her head.

“Maria” Harry asked “Você ansiosa?” [You anxious?] - He surprised everyone when he asked in Portuguese. A very heavy accented Portuguese, but understandable.

“Não.” Maria answered. “Eu acredito que ansiedade é quando você tem medo do desconhecido. E eu não tenho mais medo. Eu estou calma. Só quero que tudo saia como planejado.” - Carol helped filling the gaps of what he didn’t understand. [No. I believe anxiety works when you are afraid of the unknown. And I am not afraid anymore. I am serene. Just want that everything goes as planned.]

“Are you anxious?” Maria asked him and everyone knew what she meant.

“Not anxious, no. But I want her to be protected and safe. And I know that sometimes I won’t be able to provide it… and it makes me uncomfortable. It took us long enough to get to this point where I earned her trust and hopefully her heart… I don’t want exterior issues to jeopardize this.”

“Making a relationship work is a hard task… for you, will be even harder. But I do believe that you have built a very great foundation.”

“So do we, mãe.” Carol answered sipping her champagne glass.

The next day was a beach day and they all were going from a beach to another, they went diving (and even spotted a small shark), they swam and they ate the amazing food the hotel staff prepared.

They played card games (and Harry was beaten by Carol’s grandma every time – that she started to suspect he was letting her win on purpose), drank the best drinks and napped.

After having an amazing day, tonight was the rehearsal dinner and he had prepared a speech, that if opportunity came, he would speak.

After Maria and Flavio thanked everyone for their presence and Hailey said a few words of how happy she was to be part of this family and how happy she was for her dad, Harry asked if he could say something, because he knew that Carol had skipped the speeches because she would not be able to finish one without crying her eyes out.

“I know that I am the last person you expected to say anything tonight… but I will give it a shot.

When I first met Carol, and yes, Hailey, I am starting the speech talking about her, I knew she was a strong woman. This is something you notice about her anytime she walks in a room. Her strong presence, her manners, her politeness and her heart… you notice all of this on Carol and this is what makes her this indescribable woman that I had the pleasure to meet… and date.”

A few people clapped their hands and cheered.

“But… I couldn’t help but think that all of this didn’t come by itself or without a price. When I came to learn their history and all the hardships they faced and later, when I finally met Maria I understood why Carol was the way she is. Because Maria is not only beautiful and caring and motherly. She is fierce. She faced everything life threw at her with her head held high. She made sure to teach her daughter how to treat people, how to fight for what she deserves, how to pursue her dreams...” he took a sip of water and continued. “And I am very happy to see the woman who since day one didn’t look at my title but at myself and embraced me as her son. The woman that goes out of her way to make me feel comfortable, cared for and well fed… might I add… to find such a great man that will know how to value this preciosity. Not only find but re-encounter. Your love history has had ups and downs and you both arrived here today proving all odds wrong… and your respect and love is something that I do want to mirror into my relationship. Thank you for allowing me to be here today and to have me as a part of your family. I have come to really think of you as my family and I wish nothing but happiness and joy and love to your new married journey. And hope that, one day, we will repeat this trip. With grandchildren for your to spoil and remember the good times we shared. To Maria and Flavio.” he raised the glass of wine and when he looked at the girls of the family, they all were crying their eyes out.

Maria was the first to embrace him and whisper something in his ears. Something that not even Carol was able to find out what it was… even though she tried. This was their little secret.

“You are going to dehydrate me, Wales!” Caro said drying her tears. “I didn’t know you had prepared a speech for tonight. It was very, very beautiful and touching.” she said pecking his lips.

“Hope you liked it… it is one of my charms.” they laughed and Hailey threw her napkin at him.

They danced for a while but everyone was calling for an early night as the wedding was set to start in the morning.

Harry asked Carol to walk with him. She took off her heels and with their hands intertwined they walked in silence for a couple of minutes under the big, bright full moon and the stars. Listening to the waves and feeling the breeze.

They had not felt more connected than in this moment. They both knew it.

“I need to ask you something.” Harry said just above a whisper.

“You can ask me anything.” Carol answered and looked at him. They stopped and he held both of her hands. Gave a soft kiss on her knuckles and smiled.

“Você quer namorar comigo?” [Do you want to be my girlfriend?] he said slowly to make sure she would understand what he was asking. Hailey had told him, that in Brazil you have to ask someone to be your girlfriend and not just date and the status changing as it goes.

He also made sure to learn how to ask her this, in her mother language, because he listened to every time she said she was homesick and missing speaking Portuguese. He had enrolled with a private tutor to learn a few things… he just didn’t know how hard this language was. It would take more time than he initially thought. But it was worth it. He repeated these words in his head all the time, to make sure he would not forget them, or their right order. But also, these words meant a lot to them… and he wanted to be sure that when he asked her this question, the only answer she would give would be a positive one.

Carol was very surprised when she heard what he said and she smiled. Smiled and felt a single tear roll down her cheeks.

“Yes!” she said hugging him tightly. “Sim, sim, sim!”

He did a dramatic intake of air, as in relief, and twirled her.

“Our first kiss, as officially boyfriend-girlfriend, will be under the stars?” she said.

“Of course… I am a romantic man, Carolina. Had it all planned in my head.”

He held her face with both hands and whispered “You have no idea of how happy I am” before he kissed her. Gently, with no rush, showing her all the love he felt and that was burning and growing inside him. Now he could yell to everyone who would be able to hear that he had the most amazing girlfriend. That she was his. With all her perks, the good days and the bad. She was his and he would honor her trust until the day he died.

Carol was overwhelmed with such tenderness and thoughtfulness Harry was proving to be someone worthy of her heart… and tonight… she would give it to him.

Freely.

Lovingly.

And with no regrets.

They would face the world, his world, together… as long as they had each other. Nothing else mattered. Not anymore. Not today.

The kiss soon escalated, and the natural lust they felt for each other took the best of them. They needed to seal this moment, to be united as one. To show how much they loved each other.

Harry carefully laid her on the sand, loving the idea of being left alone from the guards. There was only them on the beach.

Harry

Carolina

and the moon.

They reached the climax together, at the same time a shooting star crossed the sky.

Hailey knocked on Carol’s door way too early in the morning. And before Carol complained, she remembered what they had promised each other. To have a time to themselves before the wedding. A time for them to just take a break and a breath of all the planning and just stop to enjoy Noronha’s views, because this was paradise and they needed a moment of calm. A moment to bond - even more - as sisters.

So she got up, changed clothes and kissed Harry’s sleepy forehead before she left the room.

She smiled at her sister and side hugged her.

They walked towards the beach and got their feet wet at the sea.

“We look like two twelve year old girls.” Hailey pointed out.

“I do know that my twelve year old me would love to do this.” Carol said.

“Mine as well...”

“We’re becoming a real family today, huh?” Hailey only nodded. “And I want you to know that I won’t always be a role model and sometimes I am quite the bitch, but I will always be there for you. To support, love and to just be there when you need me the most. Our parents getting married is not a present for them, it is also for us. Because now we are not alone anymore. And I want you to know that I love you, baby sister.”

“Why do you always have to point out that I am the youngest?”

“Because you are!”

Hailey splashed some water at Carol.

“I will be here for you as well, Carol… you know… of everyone in the world my dad found his old love and it came as a bonus. They are happy and so are we. That’s what matters.”

“It is.”

“I am looking forward to be the cool aunt to princesses and princes, though….” Carol laughed. “You are doing this, aren’t you?”

“I am. I wasn’t sure if I should before, but how can I turn away from such love and tenderness? He really is the prince charming, although I don’t tell it to him as often. The hardships we will face together...”

“At the end of the day, family is what really matters.”

Maria had chosen to walk down the aisle by herself. She would meet with Carol and Hailey midway and they would go together.

The officiant’s speech was very beautiful and touching and everyone was a bit moved by his words. Harry had held Carol’s hand for the whole service and she was leaning into him while she watched her mom get married to the love of her life.

Thankfully everything was perfect and went how it was planned.

The party was amazing, just like the food and the sweets.

They had an amazing time as a family and enjoyed themselves.

Maria and Flavio were officially husband and wife, and Hailey and Carol were officially sisters.

Everything seemed to be on its right place.